Dune and Dune: Part Two recap - Everything you need to know before Dune: Prophecy arrives

Dune: Prophecy is set to premiere on November 17, 2024, on Max and it will take fans back to Arrakis, while showcasing other planets of the franchise to further flesh out the world. The show is the second Dune project to come out in 2024, after the release of Dune: Part Two.

While Dune: Prophecy is overall connected to Denis Villeneuve's Dune films, it is a prequel, set 10,000 years before the events of Dune and Dune: Part Two. The story of the show will follow two Harkonnen sisters, as they fight to protect the future of humanity while also establishing the Bene Gesserit.

Here is a refresher on what happened in the first two films so that you can stay updated with the franchise.

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Looking back at the events of Dune before the release of Dune: Prophecy

Going to Arrakis

The first film begins with the Atreides family replacing the Harkonnen family, to be the fiefholders of Arrakis, by orders of Emperor Shaddam IV. Arrakis is a deserted planet that holds the most valuable thing in the world: Spice— a psychedelic drug that helps with vitality and awareness.

However, this makes the Emperor worried about the Atreides house rising to power, and plots with the Harkonnen family to weaken them.

Leto Atreides, the ruler of House Atreides, decides to ally with the natives of the planet, known as the Fremen. Leto's concubine, Lady Jessica, also went against her clan— the Bene Gesserit— and gave birth to a son named Paul, who was prophesized to be the Mahdi, one who would rule the world and bring balance to its people.

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Paul's visions

Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides (Image via @dunemovie/ X)

Paul starts having troubling visions about the future, where he sees himself causing the death of billions. He also sees a mysterious woman in his dreams, and confides about these to his mentor, Duncan Idaho, and his mother. The Atreides family arrives in Arrakeen, however, an assassination attempt on Paul is staged by the Harkonnen family, which fails.

However, it is later revealed that the assassination attempt took place because a member of House Atreides, Mohiam, had gone behind their back. However, Mohiam insists that Baron Harkonnen spare the lives of Paul and Lady Jessica in their coup. It is also shown that the Fremen already revere Paul and Jessica, due to the Bene Gesserit instilling beliefs for a long time.

After going through Arrakis' deserts, House Atreides faces their greatest attack from the Harkonnens. When their shields are disabled, the Harkonnens attack and take Leto Atreides prisoner, along with Paul and Lady Jessica. However, when Paul and Jessica are being taken away, she uses the 'Voice' to free herself from their captors and escape.

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Meeting the Fremen

Back at House Atreides, the Baron interrogates Leto, as his takeover is complete. In an attempt to kill the Baron, Leto releases a powerful gas that kills him and everyone in the room. However, the Baron survives the assassination attempt, then taking over Arrakis, restarting the Spice production, and appointing his nephew, Rabban, to oversee it.

Meanwhile, Paul and Jessica reunite with Duncan Idaho. Paul reveals his plan to marry the Emperor's daughter so that he can stop a civil war from arising. However, they are found by the Harkonnen Sardaukar (soldiers) and have to flee once more. This also leads to Duncan's death. After escaping, Paul and Jessica find the Fremen.

Paul also finds Chani— the woman who he kept seeing in his dreams. Even though the Fremen leader, Stilgar, is partial towards Paul and Jessica, one of their clan members, Jamis, challenges Paul to a fight. With Paul emerging as a victor, he is accepted by the Fremen, and then decides to fulfill his father's wish to bring peace to Arrakis.

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A recap of Dune: Part Two

Living among the Fremen

The second film begins with Paul and Jessica, who is pregnant now, living among the Fremen. While some Fremen are respectful of them, others believe that they are the mother and son of the prophecies, who will bring prosperity to Arrakis. While the Fremen accept Paul, Stilgar tells Jessica that she needs to succeed Sietch Tabr's dying Reverend Mother, so that his people can accept her too.

Jessica succeeds in the trial by drinking the Water of Life, but she gains memories of all the previous Reverend Mothers. It also makes her unborn daughter, Alia, gain consciousness, with whom she communicates through the film. On the other hand, Paul and Chani fall in love as he shows his respect for the Fremen, but she still thinks that the prophecy isn't real.

Paul then spends the remaining of his time proving to the Fremen that he can ride their sandworms, and also helps take down the Sardaukar troops. He raids their Spice operations, which further angers the Baron, who appoints his cunning and sadistic nephew, Feyd-Rautha, to be the new ruler of Arrakis. Jessica, on the other hand, travels south, so that she can convince other Fremens of the prophecy.

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Fulfilling the prophecy

Poster for Dune: Part Two (Image via @dunemovie/ X)

Paul doesn't travel south with Jessica, as he is still haunted by his visions of the holy war in his name. He is reunited with House Atreides war general Gurney Halleck, and they find a hidden atomic warhead stockpile of the House Atreides. However, Paul is forced to go South after Feyd-Rautha launches an attack on Sietch Tabr, destroying it.

Upon arriving south, Paul drinks the Water of Life, which makes him fall into a coma. While this angers Chani, Jessica convinces her to save him. She then mixes her tears with the Water of Life and feeds it to him, causing him to wake up. However, Paul becomes a clairvoyant, now seeing his sister in the future on a water-filled Arrakis, and also seeing that his mother is the Baron's daughter.

Paul then rallies the Fremen war council by declaring himself as the Lisan al Gaib— a prophet— and galvanizes them by showcasing that he can read their deepest thoughts. He then sends a challenge to the Emperor, who arrives in Arrakis with his daughter, Irulan.

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Wartime

At the end of the film, Paul launches atomic warheads onto the Emperor's forces, as the Fremen attack, riding their sandworms. They are able to overpower the Emperor, and Paul executes the Baron. He then challenges the Emperor for the throne. Even though Chani is disappointed by it, Paul decides to go with the fight and Feyd-Rautha offers to be the Emperor's champion.

All the great houses arrive in orbit ready to stop Paul, who threatens to destroy the Spice fields if they intervene. Paul then kills Feyd-Rautha and demands to marry the Emperor's daughter Irulan, much to Chani's dismay. Irulan agrees to marry Paul under the condition that her father lives, to which Paul agrees.

Paul then gets to know that the Great Houses reject his ascendancy, and he orders the Fremen to destroy them. Knowing that the holy war is upon him, Chani refuses to bow to Paul and calls upon a sandworm to get away from him.

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For further updates on the upcoming show stay tuned with us.